Happenings in Motorcycling
Battle of King§
F I and motorcycle stars battle in Ibiza
The Battle of Kings recently took place on the island of Ibin off
the Spanish coast in the Mediterranean Ocean. The event is a
charity function created by Heinz Kinigadner and his Wings of
Ufe foundation, which supports the research for a cure of
paraplegia.
Kinigadner himself has experienced the grief and sorrow of
such injury within his own family. His brother Klaus and his son
Hannes both spend their lives in a wheelchair.
Celebrities from the motorsport fraternity showed up in
droves to compete against one another in many disciplines,
ranging from personal watercraft, to quads, to canoes, to cars,
to off-road buggies.
Among the contestants were Red Bull Racing's Formula One
teammates David Coulthard, Christian Klein and Vitantonio
Liuzzi; five-time SOOcc Grand Prix Champion Mick Doohan;
freestyle motocross and former 12Scc Motocross National
Champion Travis Pastrana; Paris-Dakar Champion Nani Roma;
Travil Paltrana racing an ATV.
current MotoGP, 2SOcc and 12Scc Grand Prix racers Alex Hoffman (Kawasaki MotoGP), Dani Pedrosa (Telefonica MoviStar
Honda), Mikka Kallio (Red Bull KTM) and Gabor Talmacsi (Red
Bull KTM); sons of famous F I drivers, Mathias Lauda (Niki's
son) and Nelson Piquet Jr.; former
World Motocross Champions Kinigadner and George Jobe; and current
number three in World Motocross'
MXI class, KTM's Ben Townley.
The overall individual winner was
the Dakar Rally winner, Spaniard Nani
Roma, ahead of Piquet Jr. and last
year's winner, Yves Demaria, the former Motocross World Champion
from France.
The team challenge was won by
team "Motomix," which consisted of
stunt rider Christian Pfeiffer, Cyril
Despres and KTM Racing boss Kurt
Nicoll. They were followed by the
"Race Car" team consisting of
Pedrosa, Andrea Dovizioso, Doohan
and Alex Hofmann. Third was the "MotoX" team of Roma, Jutta Kleinschmidt,
Piquet Jr. and Lauda.
(Right) Kawasaki MotoGP racer
Alex Hofmann on the Sea-Doa
3D during the personal watercraft competition.
(Far right) Heinz Kinigadner,
David Coulthard and Mick
Doahan get ready to take
the canoel.
100
SEPTEMBER 21, 2005 • CYCLE NEWS
(Above) Red Bull Racing Fl driver
David Coulthard on a Sea-Doa 3D.
(Below) Dakar Rally Champion Nan;
Roma in a Volkswagen.
